Oil-burner



W. R. RAY.

OIL BURNER APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15. 1919.

Pamented Jan.6,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5 W. R. RAY. OILYBURNER. APPLICATIONFILED JAN. 15, 1919.

1,327,57 l Patented J an, 6, 1920.

" 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY-5' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM R. BAY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

tarp-BURNER.

,327,57 Specification of Letters Patent. P tent d Jan, 6, 1920,

- Application filed January 15, 1919. Serial No. 271,287.

To all whom it may concern: member supporting the hollow shaft, and B Beit known that I, WILLIAM R. RAY, a the turbine by which the shaft isdriven. citizen of the United States, residing at San W hile anysuitable form of steam or air Francisco, in the county of San Franciscodriven turbine may be employed, 1 have in 60 5 and State of California,have invented new this instance shown a turbine which conand usefulImprovements in Oil-Burners, sists ofa rotor 5, keyed or otherwisesecured of which the following is a specification. upon the'shaft 3.This rotor is inclosed by- This invention relates to oil burners and ahousing 5* which is provided with a perespecially to rotary burners ofthe type manent head 6 and a steam chest'8I" Placed 66 10,shown anddescribed in my copending ap in the casing between the steam chest andplication entitled Oil burner. filed Septhe blades 9 formed on the rotorare a series tember 25, 1916, Serial No. 122,014. of angularly' disposednozzles 10. These One of the objects of the present invennozzles projectthe steam at high velocity tion is to provide a simple, substantial turagainst the blades of the rotor, thus causing 70' 16 bine-driven onburner of the rotary type," this'together with the shaft supporting thein which the oil is ejected and atomized by atomizer A to revolve athigh speed; in the combined action of centrifugal force actual practicebetween 3000 and 4000 revoand an air blast, and particularly to providelutions and in some instances even more. a hovel means whereby the airblastor air The steam after impinging on the blades 75 20 required to'support combustion is induced of the rotor passes outwardly into aninteby means of a series of steam nozzles. rior chamber 11 formed withinthe casing Another object of the invention is to proand is thendischarged through an exhaust vide a burner of the character describedpipe 12, the live or high pressure steam bewhich is provided with aplurality of atoming admitted to the chest 8 through pipe 13. izingnozzles to permit large volumes of oil For the purpose of deflecting thesteam to be handled and properly atomized, for and throwing it outwardlyinto the chamber instance when the burner is installed inloco- 11 afterit has passed through the blades of- I motives and the like where theamount of the runner I provide a deflector 14. This oil consumed perhour often exceeds 7 deflector is keyed or otherwise secured on 80gallons. the shaft and therefore revolves with the Another object of theinvention is to prosame, the high speed of the deflector throws vide anovel bearing support for the atomthe steam outwardly by centrifugalaction. izing nozzles and. the turbine driving the thus freeingthe rotorand the blades of same, and also to provide means which will steam andcondensed water which might 35 prevent overheating of said bearingmemotherwise accumulate. I

ber. Interposed between the deflector and the Further objects willhereinafter-appear. head 7 is a packing plate 15/ This plate is Theinvention consists ,of the parts and provided with a plurality ofannular the construction and combination of parts, grooves as shown at16'for the reception of 40 as hereinafter more I fully described andsimilarly shaped projecting flanges formed claimed, having reference tothe accompanyon the deflector. This is of importance as it ing drawings,in which serves the function of labyrinth packing,

. Figure 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal thus insuring againstleakage around the section through the oil burner, the bearing shaft andfurthermore eliminates the neces- 45 supporting the same and the turbineby sity of providing stuffing boxes or the like to' which the atomizeris driven. prevent the escape of steam. A labyrinth Fig. 2 is a crosssection on line 2-2 of packing is also formed between the rotor Fig. 1.proper and the permanent head 6, thus elim- Fig. 3 is a cross section"on line 3--3 of inating leakage around the shaft at this end 50 Fig. 1.of the turbine.

Referring to the drawings in detail: A in- The bearing member 4 consistsof a cylindioates in general an atomizer, by means of drical casingwhich in this instance iswaterwhich the oil is centrifugallyprojectedand jacketed as shown at. 17. A pair of ball atomized; 2 an annular airnozzle surroundbearings 18 disposed one at each end of the 55 ing thesame; 3 a hollow shaft by which the bearing member support the shaft,thereby centrifugal atomizer is carried; 4 abearing reducing thefriction to a minimum.

The head 7 is secured to one end of the bearing member 4: by means ofbolts 19,

' thereby permitting the bearing member to .the outer cup 31 serve as asupport for the turbine as a whole. The head 7 also serves the functionof a closure for one end of the bearing, while a smaller plate 20 formsa'closure for the opposite end of the bearing. Both ends of the bearingare thus sealed, and the ball bearings 18 are entirely inclosed, thuspermitting the space 21 formed between the ball bearings to serve as anoil reservoir to permit perfect lubrication of the bearin %Vhere theheat to which the burner is subjected is not too great, I find that itis not necessary to circulate Water through the jacket 17. I can in thatinstance maintain a normal bearing temperature by merely forcing airthrough the bearing. This is accomplished by securing an annular baffleplate 23 on the head 7 by means of bolts 24 and forming a series ofradial openings 25in the head 7 which open into a chamber 26 formedbetween the plate 15 and the head 7.

A series of tubes 27, in this instance 16 in number, extend through thebearing from end to end. These tubes communicate with the chamber 26 andalso with a chamber 28 formed at the opposite end of.

the bearing, this chamber being disposed interior of an annular taperingflange 29 which forms a part of the end plate 20. Air deflected inwardlyby the baffle plate 23 will therefore pass through the openings 25,chamber 26, tubes 27 and chamber 28, thereby removing any heat whichmight otherwise accumulate in the bearing. The flange 29 and the chamber28 formed thereby also serve other functions as will hereinafter bedescribed.

The atomizer A by which the oil is centrifugally projected and atomizedconsists of two tapering cups 30 and 31, one positioned interior of theother and spaced with relation to each other to form a main interiorchamber 32 and an annular exterior chamber 33. The innermost cup issecured to the outer end of a hollow shaft 3 while is secured to theinner end of the inner cup as shown at 34.

The oil to be atomized or burned is delivered to the cupsby a stationarypipe 35 which is supported in the outer end of the turbine as shown at35, the oil being in turn delivered to this pipe from any suitablesource of supply not here shown.

The forward end of the fuel pipe extends a considerable distance intothe chamber 32 formed withinthe cup 30. The upper portion of the pipe iscut away as at 36 to permit the oil to freely overflow and become moreor less evenly distributedv when entering said cup. To prevent the oilfrom discharging freely out of the end of the pipe I provide an endplate 37. This end plate is circular in shape and is slightly less indiameter than the interior of the cup.

The functions of the plate besides that of serving as a closure for thefuel pipe will hereinafter be described.

Formed exterior of the cup 31 is an annular flange 38 and formed betweenthe inner end of the cup and said flange is a plurality of perforations3!) which permit a portion of the oil delivered to the innermost cuptodischarge radially into the exterior cup 31, thus permitting adivision of the oil delivered and better atomization, as half the oildelivered will be centrifugally projected by the inner cup and the otherhalf by the exterior cup. This is of importance when large volumes ofoil are handled as it permits more eflicient atomization than when onecup is employed.

Surrounding the centrifugal atomizing cups 30 and 31 is the taperingannular air nozzle 2. This nozzle is provided with a series of guidevanes 40 at the outer end and also With a series of guide vanes 41 atthe inner end. The inner vanes serve the function of centering theannular nozzle 2 with relation to' the central bearing member 4 and alsoserve the function of supporting the same.

In actual operation with steam admitted through pipe 13 it can readilybe seen that the steam chest 8 will be filled and that the steam willfinally dis-charge through the nozzles 10 against the blades of therunner or turbine Wheel 5, thus causing the runner together with theshaft supporting the same and the atomizing cups 30 and 31 to revolve athigh speed.

The oil simultaneously delivered through the fuel pipe 35 andoverflowing into the inner cup is first divided, as a portion of the oilescapes through the radial openings 39. The oil thus divided is thrownoutwardly by centrifugal force against the surfaces of the respectivecups and as the cups taper as shown it can readily be seen that the oilfilm is thinned out and forced outwardly along said surfaces'until thedis charging lip of the respective cups is reached. The oil is herecentrifugally projected in the form of a fine mist and is then subjectedto a secondary atomizing action by an annular blast of air dischargingthrough the nozzle 2. The air employed for this purpose is partiallymixed with steam, as it is forced through the nozzle by means a seriesof steam operated induction nozzles 50. The nozzles 50 are cone-shapedas shown and are suitably arranged in the forward end or mouth 51 ofnozzle 2.

Disposed in front of the induction nozzles 50 is an annular steam chest52 which is supplied with live steam at comparatively high pressurethrough a pipe 53. Mounted in the forward face of the steam chest is aseries of steam nozzles 54. Each nozzle is positioned in alinement withan air induction nozzle 50, thus permitting the several jets of steamdischarged to cause a sufficient vacuumin each nozzle 50 to induce theproper volume of air required for combustion of the oil. The air inducedby the steam jets here shown mixes with the steam and passes forwardlythrough the nozzle 2 at a comparatively high velocity. The mixture ofsteam and air will therefore discharge in an annular column exterior ofthe atomizing nozzles 30 and 31, thus causing the secondary atomizingaction as previously described, the air blast furthermore serving thefunction of increasing the temperature of the oil particles or vapor andalso projecting the whole combustible mixture for- Wardly into thefurnace, the spreading of the flame produced being regulated by theforce of the air blast to a large extent.

Where burners of the character here shown are installed in the furnaceboxes of locomotives it has been found that. the vacuum within thefurnace boxes produced by the exhaust steam passing through'the stack isso great that the oil discharging from the fuel pipe 34 has a tendencyto be pulled directly into the furnace without contacting with theatomizing cups. This is entirely prevented in the present instance bythe provision of the annular flange 38 and the end plate 37. That is,any oil which may have a tendency to be pulled directly out of the cupsby suction will necessarily have to pass over the outer periphery of theplate 37 and flange 38. The oil would therefore come in contact with theinterior faces of the respective cups and would then adhere, due to thecentrifugal action, thus obviating any chance of unatomized oilescaping.

Experience has shown that maintenance of proper and of considerableimportance. This is positively insured in the present instance either bythe air cooling system shown or by circulating water through the jacket,or by both.

The air escaping through the cooling tubes 27 serves still anotherfunction in the pres ent instance as it tends to relieve any vacuumwhich might otherwise tend to form in the.

chamber s 28. It furthermore provides a means for reducing thetemperature of the atomizing cups, thereby preventing carbonization ofthe oil therein.

By referring to Fig. 1-it will be seen that a steam atomizing nozzle 60has also been provided. This nozzle is formed on the lower side of themain nozzle 2 and integral The mouth of the nozzle extends from thepoint 61 to the point 62 bearing temperatures is difficult and it issupplied with steam from any suitable source through a pipe 63. Thenozzle 60 is only provided for emergency use and is particularlyintended as a substitute for the main nozzle 2 if the centrifugalatomizing cups should stop functioning; for instance, the shaftsupporting the atomizing cups might stick, the bearing might bind, theturbine get out of order, or one or more of the steam line connectionsbreak; in either instance the shaft and atomizing cups would stoprevolving and the oil delivered would run freely through the same intothe furnace without becoming atomized. This can, however, be avoided inthe present instance as it would only be necessary to operate nozzle 60;the steam discharging from the mouth of the same would have sufficientvelocity to project the discharging oil forward'into the furnace and topartly atomize the same, thus permitting operation of the burner untilthe proper repairs can be made.

.Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is-- L '1. In-an oil burner, the combination with acentrifugal atomizer, and means for delivering oil thereto, of anannular nozzle surrounding the centrifugal atomizer, and

steam actuated air inducing means placed in the forward end of thenozzle to induce a flow of steam and air through the nozzle.

2. In an oil burner, the combination with a centrifugal atomizer, of ahollow shaft supporting the atomizer, means extending through the shaftfor delivering oil to the atomizer, an annular nozzle surrounding theatomizer, and a steam actuated air induction nozzle connected with theannular nozzle to induce a flow of steam and air through the annularnozzle.

3. The combination with a centrifugal atomizer and means for deliveringoil thereto, of an annular nozzle surrounding the centrifugal atomizerand a series of steam actuated air induction nozzles placed in theforward end of the first named nozzle to induce a flow of steam and airthrough said nozzle.

4. In a rotary oil burner, an atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, a bearing memberositioned rearwardly of the cup supporting the shaft and the atomizingcup, a turbine supported by' the opposite end of said bearing memberadapted to rotate the shaft, an annular nozzle surrounding thecentrifugal atomizing cup, and steam actuated air inducing meansconnected with said annular nozzle to induce a flow of steam and airthrough the nozzle.

In a rotaryoil burner an aton'iizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting end extending into the cup,

said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaft and havingits forward an end --plate secured on the forward end of saidpipe, saidplate being circular in form and having a diameter slightly less thanthe interior diameter of the cup, and a discharge opening in the fueldelivering pipe rearwardly of the end plate.

6. In a rotary oil burner an atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup, adischarge opening in the fueldelivering pipe re-arwardly of the endplate, a bearing member positioned rearwardly of the cup, supporting theshaft, and a steam turbine supported by the opposite end of said bearingmember adapted to rotate the shaft.

7. In a rotary oil burner an atomizercomprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an. end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup, adischarge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of the endplate, aibearing member positioned rear- Wardly of the cup, supportingthe shaft, a steam turbine supported by the opposite end of said'bearing memberadapted to'rotatethe shaft, an annular nozzle surroundingthe centrifugal atomizing nozzle and means for forcing a mixture ofsteam and airthrough said nozzle.

8. In a rotary oil burner an atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup, adischarge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of the endlate, a bearing member positioned rearwarclly of the cup, supporting theshaft, a steam turbine supported by the opposite end of said bearingmember adapted to rotate the shaft, an annular nozzle surrounding thecentrifugal atomizing nozzle, and means for forcing a mixture of steamand air through said nozzle, said means comprising a plurality of steamactuated air induction noz zles positioned in the forward end of thelast named nozzle.

9. In a rotarv 011 burner an atomlzer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup, adischarge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of the endplate, a plurality of radially disposed discharge openings formed in theinner end of said cup, a second cup exterior of the first named cup andspaced therefrom into which said discharge openings enter to permit aportion of the fuel oil delivered to the first named cup to be bypassedto the second named cup.

10. In a rotary oil' burner an atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup, adischarge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of the endplate, a plurality of'radially disposed discharge openings formed in theinner end of said cup, at second cup exterior of the first named cup andspaced therefrom into .which said discharge open ngs enter to perthroughsaid shaft and having its forward end extending into the cup, an endplate secured on the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circularin form and having a diameter slightly less than the interior diameterof the cup, a discharge opening in' the fuel delivering pipe rearwardlyof the end plate, a bearing member positioned rearwardly of the cupsupporting the shaft, a steam turbine supported by the opposite end ofsaid bearing member adapted to'rotate the shaft, an annular nozzlesurrounding'the atomizing cup and supported by the bearing member, andmeans for forcing a mixture of steam and air through .saidnozzle. 12. Ina rotary oil burneran atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in form andhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of the cup,at discharge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of the endplate, a bearing member positioned rearwardly of the -up supporting theshaft, a steam turbine supported by the opposite end of said bearingmember adapted to rotate the shaft, an annular nozzle surrounding thecup and supported by the bearing member, a plurality of steam actuatedair induction nozzles positioned in the mouth of said nozzle and adaptedto induce a flow of steam and air through the first named nozzle, andmeans for cooling the bearing member.

13. In a rotary oil burner an atomizer comprising a cup, a hollow shaftsupporting said cup, an oil delivering pipe passing through said shaftand having its forward end extending into the cup, an end plate securedon the forward end of said pipe, said plate being circular in formandhaving a diameter slightly less than the interior diameter of thecup, a discharge opening in the fuel delivering pipe rearwardly of theend plate, a bearing member positioned rearwardly of the cup, supportingthe shaft, a steam turbine supported by the opposite end of said bearingmember adapted to rotate the shaft, an annular nozzle surrounding thecup and supported by the bearing member, a plurality of steam actuatedair induction nozzles positioned in the mouth ofsaid nozzle and adaptedto induce a flow of steam and air through the first named cup, and meansfor circulating air through the bearing member to maintain a low bearingtemerature.

14:. The combination with a centrifugal atomizer and means fordelivering oil thereto, of an annular nozzle surrounding the centrifugalatomizer, means for forcing a mixture of steam and air through saidnozzle, a secondary nozzle disposed below the annular nozzle and meansfor delivering steam to said secondary nozzle.

15. The combination with a centrifugal atomizer and means for deliveringoil thereto, of an annular nozzle surrounding the centrifugal atomizerand a series of steam actuated air induction nozzles placed in theforward end of the first named nozzle to induce a flow'of steam and airthrough said nozzle, a secondary nozzle disposed below the annularnozzle and means for delivering steam to said secondary nozzle.

16. In an oil burner, an annular nozzle, an oil spraying cup rotatablein the annular nozzle, means for supplying oil to the cup, and a seriesof steam actuated air induction nozzles mounted in the mouth of theannular nozzle to induce an air blast therethrough.

17. In an oil burner, an annular nozzle, an oil spraying cup rotatablein the annular nozzle, means for supplyin oil to the cup, a series ofsteam actuated air induction nozzles mounted in the mouth of the annularnozzle to induce an air blast therethrough, a secondary nozzle disposedbelow the annular nozzle, and means for delivering steam to saidsecondary nozzle.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set In hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM R. RAY.

Witnesses: I

J OHN H. I-lnanme, W. W. HEALEY,

